Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Bloodsucking
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"Is that... a human skin mask or something?"
"If you're referring to one of those masks that makes you look like someone else, then you're mistaken. Didn't I tell you? I have no fixed gender."
"Th-then right now...?"
"Since you seemed uncomfortable when this body took on a male form, I've graciously shifted to this feminine appearance. Spare me pointless questions about which is the 'real' one."
Her words made me swallow the question that had risen to the tip of my tongue.
I'd actually been about to ask it.
But considering what she'd said, it didn't make logical sense by normal standards, yet she truly seemed to be a being without a set gender—neither strictly male nor female. An asexual existence, plain and simple.
-Glance
I snuck a sidelong peek at her features.
She was a peerless beauty that drew an involuntary gasp of admiration.
Perhaps noticing my gaze fixed on her appearance, she smirked and spoke up.
"What is it? Are you entranced by this body's stunning beauty?"
"..."
It was rare for someone to boast about their looks like that straight from their own mouth.
She was remarkable in all sorts of ways.
Of course, she had every reason to be confident about her appearance.
"Well, no need to feel inferior. Compared to this body, you're barely at toe level, but your looks are still more than passable."
"Th-thanks...?"
"Mm-hmm."
Was that a compliment or an insult?
It was the kind of odd remark that left me unsure how to respond.
But setting aside the talk of appearances, there was something I needed to ask her.
-Gulp
"C-can I ask... one question?"
"What is it?"
"So... do you have... reproductive organs?"
"Ha?"
She gave me a look of utter disbelief at my question.
It might sound ridiculous, but it was a serious matter to me.
If she had them, that meant she could mate and had sexual desires, which would imply...
'...she could be a rival.'
She might set her sights on Yuseong too.
It could be written off as baseless speculation, but I viewed every woman as a potential love rival who might go after Yuseong.
No matter the race.
Yuseong was that alluring of a man, and even if she claimed no interest now, there was no guarantee her feelings wouldn't change after meeting him.
So this was a crucial issue for me.
It would determine how I thought of her.
"...You never cease to exceed my expectations. I never imagined anyone would ask me something like that."
"...Is it a tough question?"
"No, it's not particularly sensitive enough to hide. But first, I need to clarify how you understand this body. I was created by 'Her Excellency,' the Ruler of Death. Would such a being include crude organs for mere breeding acts, no matter how politely you phrase it?"
I let out a quiet sigh of relief inside.
If she were a rival, it would've been a real problem.
Her looks, her power, and considering the horde of vampires under her command, she'd be a rival with flawless wealth and strength. What a relief.
"Well, if I really wanted to manifest some, it wouldn't be impossible..."
"N-no! Don't!"
There was a brief commotion after that, but we eventually calmed down and continued our talk.
"Now that the misunderstanding about this body being male is cleared up, that should be fine, right? Come, drink."
She extended her hand toward me again.
She wasn't Yuseong, nor male, and the potential rival issue was resolved, but I still hesitated.
"What's wrong? Is something still bothering you?"
It was a perfectly obvious reason.
"I've never... sucked blood before."
There was no way I could suddenly commit the profane act of drinking someone else's blood.
Especially since I'd been a Taoist before dying.
No matter how much my body craved it, it wasn't as simple as all that.
"It seems you still haven't fully grasped your situation. Now that you've been reborn as a vampire, bloodsucking isn't optional—it's essential. You've miraculously held out this far, but you can't keep going without it forever."
"...Still..."
"I told you earlier that vampires grow through bloodsucking. To you right now, my blood is no different from a spirit elixir."
Her words instantly shattered my resistance.
"Is that for real?"
"Not just any elixir, either. For an immature vampire like you, no elixir in this world could surpass my blood."
-Gulp
It was a tempting offer.
If she was telling the truth, it would greatly ease my aversion to bloodsucking.
But her words didn't end there.
She made sure I couldn't refuse.
"From what I saw when you arrived here, it looked like you'd been thoroughly beaten by someone. Don't you want revenge?"
"...!"
A single face flashed through my mind.
Master.
The one I'd followed like a parent since childhood.
But not anymore.
-Grind
Now, she was nothing but a loathsome betrayer.
She'd killed me and, during that time, lusted after Yuseong—a horrific betrayal.
A shameless whore who'd gotten intimate with a mere child young enough to be her grandson.
Yuseong surely wouldn't want a woman like that.
No matter what came out of Master's mouth, it was just her one-sided claim without the person in question there.
There was no way Yuseong would like that old hag.
He must be following her against his will, under threat.
So I had to save him.
Save Yuseong, forcibly taken by Master.
I was the only one who could rescue Yuseong.
And for that, I needed power.
Ordinary power wouldn't cut it.
I needed enough to defeat Master.
"...If I drink blood, will I get stronger?"
For that strength, I could endure bloodsucking any day.
"Of course. Now that you've decided, open your mouth. I'll put it right in."
With my resolve firm, I parted my lips, and she extended her slender, alluring index finger toward me.
-Plip
A few drops of blood trickled from her delicate, seductive finger into my mouth.
And the moment that blood slid down my throat...
-Thud
"Gah?!"
A sudden agony exploded from my heart.
"Ngh!"
Instinctively, I clapped my hand over my mouth.
It was common sense: you never opened your mouth while absorbing an elixir.
Not only could the energy scatter, but in severe cases, it could lead to qi deviation.
"Mmph... gah..."
She saw me barely stifling my scream, face contorted, and brushed my hand aside with a laugh.
"No need to hold back the scream. It's just the expected pain."
"Ugh...!"
"Now, little vampire. Look forward to how much you'll have changed when you open your eyes again. Just don't disappoint me."
-Crack, crunch
"Kyaaah!!"
In the twisting agony of my body,
my screams echoed deep into the underground chamber.
-Tweet, chirp
The chirping of birds by my ear and sunlight sneaking through the window cracks to tickle my eyelids.
"Mm..."
I rose with a refreshed sensation.
As always, I checked that my body was intact, offered a brief prayer of thanks, then looked around.
"Awake?"
"Whoa, you scared me!"
Sword Empress was right in my face.
I jolted back in surprise...
-Thunk
"Ow!"
...and banged my head against the wall, grimacing.
"Ow..."
"A-are you okay?"
"I think I got a bump..."
"L-let me take a look. Here, the hat..."
"N-no, I was kidding!"
I waved her off in panic as she actually reached for my hat.
It hadn't hit that hard.
Just a bit sore—no lump.
Truth be told, my head hurt more from something else than the bump.
"More than that, the hangover..."
"...Ah."
-Throb, throb
Ever since possessing this body, I'd never suffered hangovers no matter how much I drank. How much did I down yesterday?
I barely remembered past the middle—my film must've cut out completely.
"...Did anything happen yesterday, by chance?"
It was a perfectly ordinary question.
When your memory blanks after blacking out, asking what happened is just everyday stuff.
I didn't expect anything major, but...
"Oh, nothing happened! Absolutely nothing!"
"..."
That reaction screamed that something had happened.
With a twinge of dread, I checked my body.
Had I messed up again while drunk?
We'd barely agreed to let the last incident slide—if I screwed up again, it'd be irreparable. A chill ran through me as I inspected myself.
But there were no unusual marks.
No signs I'd even washed up.
'Maybe nothing really happened?'
Sword Empress's reaction made it seem like something had gone down, but maybe it truly hadn't.
"By the way, that place had amazing liquor. Shall we go again tonight?"
From what I remembered before blacking out, the drinks there were incredible.
Better than any tavern I'd tried so far. I couldn't help wanting to go back.
-Flinch!
"Oh, tonight again?"
But Sword Empress reacted quite sensitively.
"Didn't you like it?"
"N-no... I liked it too, but... while you were passed out yesterday, some martial artists caused a ruckus, so they're closed for a bit. The damage was pretty bad."
"Oh no..."
I hadn't been hit, but as someone who'd run a fortune-telling shop, I could sympathize.
In this world, martial artists' rampages were like natural disasters—unpredictable, and us civilians were utterly helpless when they struck. True acts of god.
"That shopkeeper's so unlucky. What did they do to deserve martial artists trashing the place?"
"Y-yeah, tell me about it."
For some reason, it felt like Sword Empress was avoiding my gaze, but I chalked it up to imagination.